


I'll Be Good

by SpoopyJim



Series: Sanders Sides [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Abuse, Cute, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Manipulation, Multi, Obsessive Behavior, Recovery, Unsympathetic Virgil, Whipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-06-29 11:08:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19828927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpoopyJim/pseuds/SpoopyJim
Summary: Virgil Sanders has a problem. He might be a little too obsessed with a certain dark Creativity, who just so happens to be in love with Logan.But after what happened when Deceit and Remus got close, Virgil isn't letting Remus do it again.Remus doesn't understand that Virgil is doing things wrong. That's why his brother has to help him be with the people he loves.Started with some one shots, until I wanted to make it a full story.





	1. Chest

**Author's Note:**

> Ah sorry if the first three chapters are a little messy, again it started with one shots and it's a little messy in the beginning. I'll make it more coherent later.

Remus glared at the other side, covering his chest. “You’re not going to get away with this you know. The- the other sides won’t like that you did this…” He took a step back, swallowing. He knew that some of the others probably wouldn’t care, but he figured they wouldn’t want him hurt… Not like this.

“Don’t come near me or- or I’ll tell.” Okay, that sounded childish and pathetic. “Don’t hurt me… Please…” He whimpered. Remus could tell Deceit, right? Roman…? He was shaking slightly.

“Just get away from me…”

Virgil scoffed, voice hard. “Remus, you’re being pathetic. After everything you do, you’re going to act like this?”

Remus started to tremble a bit. “I…”

Remus braced himself when the other got closer, bottom lip trembling.

“You talk a lot about stuff we don’t wanna hear. I bet you wouldn’t like it happening to you.”

“Like what?” Remus whispered, watching Virgil with fear filled green eyes.

Virgil tsked. “What? Are you afraid?” He asked, snorting. “Why? You talk about shit all the time. Like…”

Virgil thought for a moment, circling Remus, before manifesting… A whip.

“What are you doing?” Remus asked, voice quiet.

“Well, I’m not Roman, but I might as well whip you.”

Remus’s hands clenched. He hadn’t actually wanted that. That was an impulse, something he just randomly said.

But now Virgil was wrestling Remus to the ground, even as he begged Virgil to realize that it was just a passing thought, nothing else!

It was just his intrusive thoughts, himself, all of it was. He wasn’t… He wasn’t…

“A monster. That’s what you are.” Virgil growled as he pinned Remus down and tied his arms, not bothering with the legs.

“Virgil, please- I’m not a monster, I’m not doing anything, I just want you guys to listen to me!!! Love me!!! Please!!!”

Remus started to scream as loudly as he could when Virgil hit him a few times, before Virgil kicked him and put on a ball gag.

“Fucking! Shut up! You’re not allowed to talk.”

When Remus tried to talk behind the gag, Virgil smirked a bit.

“You should stay like that more often.”

Virgil raised the whip again, making Remus try and talk behind the gag, frantically.

“Shh. Just take it.”

Remus didn’t really know what was happening after a while. He just knew that his head was cottony, and he was bleeding, and Virgil was talking.

“Hey!”

Remus looked up slowly.

Virgil sighed, starting to wash Remus’s back now.

“You couldn’t really hear me, could you? You got really quiet near the end. Good boy.”

Remus shuddered, blinking slowly. Good?

“That’s what I want, Remus. I want you to be quiet.”

Remus nodded a little, drooling behind the gag.

Quiet?

… Fine. He could be quiet.

Virgil smirked and tugged Remus’s hair a bit, before gently petting Remus’s head, giving him affection.

“Why don’t you stay with me tonight.”

Remus didn’t really notice that it wasn’t a choice. He nodded.

He wanted to stay.

Maybe if he was quiet enough, Virgil would really love him.

Besides, when would Remus get to stay with another side that actually gave him affection again?


	2. Books

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light hearted babie Intrulogical fluff okay? Okay

“You want to what?”

Remus gave a nervous smile at the teacher side, a small hum leaving him.

“Write a book. Maybe a better outlet for…” He hesitated. “My obsessive, intrusive thoughts will… Make it feel better. Express myself without, uh…”

Logan nodded slowly in thought, hand on their chin.

Remus looked like his resolve was starting to crumble a little, before Logan touched his hand.

“Alright. I’ll help you.”

Remus tentatively followed Logan into their room when they beckoned him in, shifting nervously.

“Alright.”

Logan moved over to Remus again, giving over a small laptop.

“What’s this for?” Remus asked, checking it over before starting to open it.

“You wish to write. If you write, I’ll read through it after. Your editor, your spell check.”

Remus’s eyes lit up a bit. “Really?” 

“Of course. I would enjoy being your editor, and I could review it.”

Remus giggled a little. “I can be a regular Edgar Allen Poe!”

“Well-” Logan gave a small huff. “Perhaps the same genre, yes.”

Remus snorted. “Yeah I know, he’s a little ‘cousin Lolita’.”

“ _Anyways_. I can’t wait to read it.”

With that thought in mind, Remus wrote stream of consciousness style that night.

His first reason of course was to get an outlet, and it was a nice outlet. He enjoyed it. His writing was horrifying, full of blood, abuse, a car crash, the garbage disposal and a hand, biting things you shouldn’t bite…

His second reason was Logan.

Logan _couldn’t wait to read it_. He didn’t know why, didn’t know if Logan was telling the truth, didn’t know…

But he was happy. He was. He couldn’t wait for Logan to read it.

Remus didn’t care that he spent a long time that night not sleeping, didn’t care that he started many stories that night and- unless it was a short story- didn’t finish any of them. Three chapters seemed to be a staple.

The next day, Remus was holding out his laptop to Logan, smiling bright and wide, eyes dark like Virgil’s.

Logan gave a noise. “Did you not sleep?”

“I wanted to write. I wanted you to have things to read.”

Logan’s cheeks went slightly pink, and they coughed slightly. “Well, I suggest you take a nap while I read.”

Remus sighed dramatically, arm pressing against his forehead like he fainted. “Fiiiine, nerd.”

Logan rolled their eyes as Remus flopped onto their couch, watching him. “I’ll wake you if you’re still sleeping after I read.” They said, sitting down at their little table and opening up the laptop, blinking in surprise.

4 (three chaptered) unfinished stories, 3 short stories, and about 6 “short stories” that were maybe 200-500 words long. 

Logan buckled in for what Remus had to write, sighing gently when the first story happened to have them, and _happened_ to be a very… Not safe for Thomas.

Remus must have been delirious.

Remus…

…

Logan chuckled, smiling slightly as he read a longer one. It was bloody, raw, and… and had Logan a hero.

And Logan saved Remus.

Not all of them were ‘friendfiction’, only a couple 400~ word stories, one short story, and two of the chaptered stories.

Remus seemed to be great at creating characters, and putting them in situation with suffering, or love (or things that would label Remus a perv). 

Mental illness was a touch into them. Logan wondered if they should check Remus’s mental health. 

After Logan finished reading, they noticed the time.

Logan moved to gently wake Remus up.

Remus’s eyes blinked open, staring at Logan. “Huh? Finished?”

Logan sighed gently and nodded. “I did. I fixed the spelling and grammar of some parts. I wanted to talk about something.”

“Huh?”

Remus looked nervous as Logan sat down next to him, wondering what it was Logan wanted to say.

“I read… One of the stories, it was… Us.”

“Yeah….”

“… Is that just intrusive thoughts about us? If so, that’s quite al-”

Remus hugged Logan tightly suddenly, causing the logical side to stiffen. 

“I… I don’t know… I like you… I do… I love you…”

Logan hugged Remus a little. “You do…?”

“I do… So much…”

Logan rubbed his back and nodded a bit. “I enjoy your…”

Remus hugged a little tighter.

“… I’m happy you decided to write. I’d never know how you felt. And you seem calmer already.”

Remus sighed and pulled back a bit. “Yeah…”

Logan stared, then kissed Remus, causing the creative side to stiffen, before kissing back.

The kiss was heated, needy, and Remus was sloppy with it.

But Logan was trying to guide him to be a little more calm.

“Write more for me.” Logan whispered when they pulled back a bit, and Remus grinned, nodding quickly.

“Yes! I’d love to!”


	3. Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy manipulation in this one, and abuse.

Virgil was annoyed by how much Remus was on the little laptop that he seemed to randomly get one day. But Remus wasn’t as annoying verbally as he was usually, so Virgil was letting it slide mostly.

Remus still had to put it away sometimes if he wanted any good affection from Virgil.

Their dynamic changed when Virgil found out he was dating Logan.

“What are you doing trying to get close to the others?”

Remus jumped when Virgil appeared in his doorway, slowly closing his laptop. “What do you mean…?”

“I heard you _kissed_ Logan. Are you trying to infect them? Are you trying to ruin Thomas?”

Remus gave a tiny noise, swallowing. “Ruin- no! I was writing- I wanted to write a book but really only Logan’s been reading-”

“Remus, the only people you need to be bothering is Deceit and me. Hell, maybe you shouldn’t even bother Deceit.” Virgil eyed Remus.

Remus squirmed a bit under Virgil’s cold stare, before he hugged himself.

“Logan’s my editor, they read what I write and… And I really like them… And they like me!”

Virgil growled and went forward, smacking Remus in the face.

Remus cried out, immediately moving to cup his cheek.

“V-Virgil, I-” He muttered, trembling already.

“Let me see your writing.”

Remus swallowed and whimpered. “Virgil, I… I don’t…”

Virgil growled, baring his teeth. “Remus. Now.”

Remus swallowed and slowly handed Virgil the laptop.

He watched, barely breathing as Virgil started to skim through some of the reading, before the anxious side gave a humorless scoff.

“Are you serious, perv? You’re so disgusting. And I never said you could write about me.”

Remus swallowed.

“Logan definitely couldn’t love you. Maybe I should teach you how to be better before you hurt them, hurt anyone.”

“I… I won’t, I just play with them… They don’t get hurt, you saw…”

“Remus. Tell me, do you really think anyone is safe with _you_? You know how you are. You’re going to hurt them. You’re going to hurt Patton, and _Roman_ , and Deceit, and Logan, and especially **Thomas**. You’re a monster.”

Remus deflated, exhaling shakily and wiping away tears.

Virgil sighed.

“But I can help you. I’ll teach you how to be good.” 

Remus whimpered. “I-I-”

“If you refuse, I can’t allow you near any of them again, especially _Logan_ , after all that p.orn you wrote about them.”

Remus flinched, before staring at his knees. Virgil wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He liked Virgil, but Virgil scared him. After what the purple side did to his back…

“… o-okay… Okay…”

Virgil smirked when Remus hid his face in his hands, moving toward him. “Let’s start teaching you not to talk about those thoughts that come up. Some of those stories were really bad, weren’t they?”

Remus awaited the pain. hoping he’d be good enough to see Logan soon.


	4. Sick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abuse, torture, unsympathetic/abusive Virgil, Patton isn’t trying to be bad but he doesn’t want to believe Virgil is bad no matter what.

Remus was starting to get sick. Really sick.

Virgil had many ways of trying to… ‘Teach’ him to be good, including using Remus’s own writing against him, forcing him to do things and hitting him to make sure he did them, and knocking Remus out if he was being especially too talkative about things that weren’t allowed.

Remus was a mover, someone who couldn’t really sit still at all, so Virgil started trying to teach Remus to sit in a humiliating, bowing motion on command, a word that could even be used to make him.

It took a lot of abuse for him to even listen to that.

Remus stayed in Virgil’s room now, too afraid to write just in case Virgil used it against him. Too afraid to talk about his feelings, but the more he didn’t, the more his body seemed to cave into itself.

Virgil used a collar and chain leash on Remus a lot, especially when he had to leave.

Remus knew he had to be grateful, because even with all of that, Virgil obviously just wanted to make sure Remus didn’t hurt anyone, make sure Remus could be happy and not dangerous.

Not a monster.

He knew because Virgil would hold him close and sigh and apologize about it hurting, explain that it was a necessity that he didn’t like having to do.

The first time Virgil hurt Remus since leaving to be with the core sides, the whipping, that was anger. Anger because Remus had hurt Thomas, had made Logan get upset with Virgil and Patton, had ruined everything.

Remus forgave him now though, because it was an accident, he hadn’t meant to hurt Remus so bad.

Now, Remus had to learn to not cause that again.

Logan seemed to be upset a lot now that Remus was gone, Virgil would say. Remus had to learn quicker or he’d hurt Logan, Virgil would say.

Logan was hurting because of Remus, Virgil would say.

Remus had been touching wounds on his legs, shuddering a little as he tried to get used to the awful texture of the clothes Virgil had given him that day, when the door was being opened.

“Virgil?”

Roman. Oh no.

Remus quickly tried to hide, curling up and keeping silent. He wasn’t ready! Virgil said he wasn’t ready, Virgil said that he would hurt Logan, Patton, Thomas… Roman… Even Deceit…

Roman was taking his sword out.

“What’s in here?” He asked, rough voice terrifying Remus.

A monster was in here, and Roman was going to kill him. He knew he was. He knew Roman had to be planning-

Remus gave a choked scream when Roman tripped over the chain attached to his throat, holding his hurt neck. The chain hurt the bruises already on his throat, struggling to breathe as Roman kept tugging when he tried to get his foot out of the loop of chain.

“Remus?!”

Remus trembled violently, eyes wide as he tried to breathe. “N-Ngh-”

Roman quickly moved close, inspecting Remus as the other half of creativity cowered.

“Wh… This is where you’ve been…? With Virgil…? Remus, you’re hurt… Why is-” Roman cut himself off, eyes wide as he stared ay Remus, before he looked angry.

“Did Virgil do this?”

Remus whimpered. “Roman, you can’t be here…” His hurt voice relayed, touching his throat. “I’m not ready… Virgil doesn’t… He’s helping m-me be good…”

Roman frowned deeply. “He’s not helping you do anything. He’s hurting you.”

Remus shook his head. “I’m getting… B-Better…”

Roman swallowed and started trying to take the chain off. “I have to get you out-”

“No!!”

Roman flinched back at the scratchy, broken yell, eyes darting to the door.

“Remus please, you have to understand that Vir-”

“Roman I’ll hurt you! Patton!! Thomas!! Deceit!!! LOGAN!!!”

Roman watched in horror as Remus practically yelled his voice gone, as he sobbed breathlessly and voicelessly.

Roman gently touched Remus, who leaned into the touch immediately, obviously really wanting affection.

Roman exhaled. “Okay. What if I got Patton, Thomas, Deceit, and Logan to come here. Would that help?”

Remus didn’t respond, just touching his mouth.

Roman nodded, before playing with Remus’s hair. “It’s okay. You’re not… You’re okay. You were okay before. You don’t need to be taught to be good.”

Remus stared into space as Roman reluctantly left the room.

Roman immediately moved to the light side living room and summoned Patton, Logan, and Deceit.

“What’s going on?” Logan asked, before hesitantly adding after seeing Deceit, “Did you find Remus…?”

Roman nodded softly. “I… I did.”

Logan exhaled heavily, obviously very relieved. Patton was also very relieved, holding Logan’s hand a bit. “I told you he’d be found, kiddo.”

Deceit, however, noticed Roman’s body language.

“What’s wrong?” The lying side immediately asked, eyes narrowing as he watched Roman.

“… Virgil, uh…”

Deceit immediately jolted. “Not again.”

Roman blinked, eyes wide. “Again…?”

“What about my dark strange son?” Patton asked, frowning ever so softly.

“… Where is Remus?” Logan asked, suspicious. They could tell something was WRONG.

“… He’s in Virgil’s room.” Roman whispered, hugging himself.

“Oh, did Virgil find him?” Patton asked.

Roman exhaled. “Let’s just go and check on him, alright?”

Deceit had a thinly veiled look of mortification, but nodded as he moved, quickly heading toward Virgil’s room.

Roman followed quickly, and Logan started overtaking them with how fast they were moving.

Patton was in the back, barely keeping up. He looked like he was thinking about something.

Logan quickly opened Virgil’s door, as Patton protested that they should knock.

Virgil was sitting across from Remus, feeding him. Remus looked awful still, but now the chain wasn’t attached to his throat.

“Oh god…” Deceit whispered, as Logan stared in horrified silence.

“You’re supposed to knock!” Virgil hissed, as Remus whimpered and tried to eat the bite that Virgil now pulled away from his lips.

“Unhand my brother!”

“I’m helping your brother, you should be thanking me right now.”

“Virgil, not again… Not Remus, you promised…”

“What did you do, Virgil?”

Patton watched helplessly as Roman, Deceit, Logan and Virgil all started arguing.

This… Wasn’t true. No. It couldn’t be. Remus looked awful, but Remus was being fed and taken care of by Virgil. Maybe Roman was wrong.

He thought that Virgil hurt Remus, but Virgil was just nursing Remus back to health.

In fact, Virgil had just SAID he was helping Remus.

Patton smiled. “Alright! Alright kiddos, we’ve been arguing aimlessly too long. Virgil, my dark winged angel, what’s happening?”

Virgil sighed and fed Remus a bite of food, Remus greedily eating it.

“I’m helping Remus.”

Deceit snarled at Virgil. “Anxiety-”

“Deceit! Please.” Patton cut him off, the snake side looking offended and upset.

“ _Morality_ , you of all people should also be able to see that he’s **LYING**.”

“What I see is Virgil is feeding Remus, who looks hurt, and saying he’s helping. So no, I don’t see that he’s lying.”

Logan’s hands turned to fists. “Patton! I know you don’t want to believe Virgil is bad-”

“I’m not.”

“- But Deceit can tell when people are lying, and Roman very OBVIOUSLY is upset with this! He knows Virgil is lying too!”

Patton crossed his arms. “So you’re telling me Virgil hurt Remus?”

“Yes!” Deceit shook his hands at Patton.

The arguing continued, as Virgil held Remus close.

“You’re causing them to fight like this.” Virgil whispered into Remus’s ear. “You’re not good yet. You’re still a monster. I think you should stay longer.”

Remus sniffed, crying softly.

“Remus? I’m sorry, I didn’t know he would…” Deceit’s voice trailed off.

“I’m hurting you guys still… I have to stay with Virgil, please…”

Patton gestured, as if that was proof that Remus was in the right place with the right person.

Deceit shook his head. “You lie to yourself all the time, and I’ve figured that I can’t stop you, but this is directly hurting Remus. I won’t let you lie to yourself about this.”

Virgil grit his teeth as Roman moved to take Remus from Virgil.

Remus struggled and cried, trying to stay with Virgil. “No! I’m a monster! I’ll hurt you! No!!!”

Virgil looked disgusted. He hadn’t had enough time to teach Remus to not… Be this screamy.

“Remus, shh.” He said, and Remus immediately fell completely silent.

Good, at least he learned commands.

Roman gave a horrified noise and recoiled a little, Logan quickly taking Remus.

“What did you do to him?” Logan demanded, voice cold.

Virgil frowned. “I taught him how to be good.”

Patton deflated a bit, before swallowing. “That means nothing… Virgil, you were just helping, right?”

“Of course, pop star.”

Roman trembled with anger as Deceit and Logan looked Remus over.

“We have to tell Thomas.” Roman growled, and Virgil blinked.

“Tell Thomas I helped his intrusive thoughts? Okay. If you want.”

Roman shook his head. “Tell Thomas you hurt my brother!”

“He didn’t!” Patton protested.

“Falsehood! He did! Look at my boyfriend!” Logan gestured, and Remus looked up with wide eyes.

Boyfriend…

“We’re leaving. Stay away from my brother.” Roman growled, holding his sword tightly as Deceit and Logan ended up dragging Remus away to Deceit’s room, Roman staring at Virgil a few more long minutes before starting to leave.

Patton watched them, then Virgil.

“Virgil?” He pleaded a bit.

“… I just wanted Remus to not be a monster anymore.”

Patton swallowed and nodded.

“Okay Virge… Okay…”

Patton left finally a few minutes after.

Virgil watched them, before standing up and crossing his arms.

Remus was his, and they had no right to take him. Especially since he wasn’t ready yet.

Logan couldn’t have him.

And God he didn’t want Deceit to have him again either.


	5. Why

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this won’t take me too long, might make the chapters shorter to write quicker, idk
> 
> Tw: PTSD, obsession, mentioned unsympathetic/abusive Virgil, some unsympathetic Patton (not maliciously, but some accidental victim blaming and not really believing it was Virgil still), wound healing.

Deceit had to leave the room when Remus refused to speak. At all.

Logan was having trouble getting him to even try typing on another laptop Logan manifested, to try and see if maybe Remus would do that.

Remus had hesitated, fingers gently touching the keys, before clicking ‘s’ and setting his hand down.

“S?” Logan had asked. “S what? Stop? Start? Soft?”

Remus just shook his head and hugged himself tighter.

“Sit?”

Immediately, however, Remus had moved to bow down in front of Logan, hands curled up a bit, as if he wanted to ball them into fists but couldn’t.

As soon as that happened, Deceit left the room.

“Dee, what is going on?” 

Deceit looked up when Roman walked out the room and followed him a couple minutes later. Deceit noticed how tired Roman looked, how angry, how... 

Deceit remembered when he felt what Roman felt. When he found Virgil and Remus together before Virgil went to be with the others. 

If _Virgil_ was able to be a “light” side... 

“Remus and I used to be together.” Deceit finally said, after a long pause. “Virgil... was jealous back then too. Hurt Remus. But I... We made a deal. That if I left him alone, if we didn’t date... He wouldn’t hurt Remus...”

Deceit clenched his gloved hands. “At the time, he wasn’t lying. But he went back on his word. He...” Deceit growled lowly in his throat.

Roman watched Deceit, eyes widened.

“I thought if Remus and I weren’t together, if we waited long enough, Remus would be able to be around everyone. But Virgil...” Deceit hugged himself, clenching his teeth.

“I ruined my relationship with Remus to keep him safe, and now Remus just wants Virgil.”

Roman trembled a bit with anger, before looking up when Patton came up to the two.

“Is Remus inside...?” He asked, voice soft. 

“Why? So you can say that he has to go back to Virgil, tell us that him being completely broken is somehow Virgil helping?!” Roman immediately snarled, Patton flinching back violently.

Deceit quickly shook his head and touched Roman’s shoulder, moving to quietly and privately talk to him. “Roman, Patton isn’t trying to hurt anyone. We both know him and Virgil were close.”

“That doesn’t excuse...” Roman trailed off, watching Patton near tears.

Deceit nodded. “I know. We just have to get him to understand without... Without becoming the bad guys.”

Roman huffed and shook his head. “I’m not letting him near my brother until he realizes.”

“That’s fair.”

Deceit turned back to Patton, who was watching the floor. He sniffed and rubbed away tears.

“Patton, why are you asking about Remus?”

“I just wanted to know if he was safely...” Patton trailed off and shook his head.

“Virgil used to hurt Remus before. I know it’s hard to believe, I didn’t want to believe it myself when I first saw... I thought we were a happy family. But... But Virgil can pretend. And Virgil can...” Deceit choked up a little.

“How? What did he do?” Patton asked, hugging himself. Not wanting to hear this, not wanting to take this as truth.

Roman huffed. “The bruises, the whip marks, the scars... You saw it... You...”

Patton swallowed. “How do we know it was Virgil... Maybe he did hurt Remus before, but he... He’s good now, and he was helping Remus. Remus is part of creativity, maybe he made something that hurt him. Maybe he did something and Virgil had to punch him. But the whip marks, that CAN’T be Virgil!” Patton sounded like he was pleading.

Roman was seeing red.

“Excuse me? Fine, let’s say the whip marks was something Remus himself created. If you EVER tell me that Virgil had a reason to punch him like _that_? Ever again? I’ll make sure you _never_ come near us ever again.”

Patton flinched. “I...”

Deceit exhaled. “I need to go back inside. Come on Roman.”

Patton watched Deceit and Roman go back into the room, barely caught a glimpse of Remus staring up at Logan with a trembling bottom lip and shaking head.

Patton turned and went back to his room, hugging himself.

“What’s happening?” Deceit asked, watching Remus kneeling in front of Logan and shaking his head violently.

“I wanted to feed him.” Logan frowned, swallowing.

“Brother? Do you want to eat?” Roman asked, voice soft as Remus quickly nodded.

Roman nodded and moved to get Remus some food, before Remus shook his head quickly.

“Um...” Roman paused, frowning. “What?”

Remus covered his face, trying not to talk.

“Maybe I should take Deceit and we can ask Virgil.” Logan stood up.

Roman nodded a bit. “Yeah, I’d probably kill Anxiety if we were in the same room.”

Roman moved to hold Remus a bit, and whimpered as Remus immediately clung tightly, begging, needing his affection.

“... Let’s go, Logan.” Deceit whispered, taking their hand and starting to walk out the door.

“Do you think he’ll tell us?” Logan asked, finally, once they got to Virgil’s door.

“... Yes.” Deceit lied, before moving to open it.

Virgil was going to help them, whether he liked it or not.


	6. Copy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this’ll be shorter, but I also just love this story so far, just wish the first three parts were less messy haha
> 
> Tw: Vague non-Con mention, Unsympathetic/Abusive Virgil.

Virgil looked up when he heard the knocks at his door, snorting. Already? They probably needed his help. He wondered what Remus’s problem was.

“Come in, not like I’m locking it when I know you’ll be coming.”

Virgil watched the door open, raising a brow when Logan and Deceit came in.

“Oh, two against one?”

“Shut up.” Deceit huffed. “You lied to me.”

“Funny, thought you’d have noticed if I lied to you.” Virgil leaned back, staring at Deceit and Logan.

Deceit shook his head. “You went back on your word. You said if I didn’t date Remus, then you wouldn’t hurt him.”

“Yeah, and I listened. Then Logan started dating him. Remus is mine.” Virgil crossed his arms. “You know I was told I could have him.”

Deceit twitched a bit and shook his head.

“… So it’s my fault?” Logan asked, before shaking their head. They knew it wasn’t. Logically speaking. It was Virgil’s fault, all over.

But… But if Logan hadn’t started dating Remus, then…

Deceit hissed. “No, it’s not your fault, Logan. Virgil, you’re lucky.”

Logan swallowed, before touching Deceit’s shoulder.

“How do we get him to eat?”

“Has he earned it yet?”

Deceit growled immediately. “Virgil, he’s allowed to eat-” He paused suddenly, staring at Virgil. “… wait. He… You taught him he needs to earn it before he can eat at all… How?”

Virgil scoffed. “Just hurt him whenever he ate and I pretended to forget to make him earn it. His fault for not reminding me sort of thing.” 

Deceit shut his eyes. He knew what that meant. They had to hurt Remus. No, he couldn’t do that.

Logan exhaled. “How did he… earn his food?”

“Oh, you getting ready to let him earn his food? I bet you’d have the easiest time doing it, Logan. Emotionless, doesn’t give a shit about anyone…” Virgil teased.

“Virgil.” Logan asserted, voice dark and low.

“Oh? You’re excited to? Alright, just get the laptop. It’s already in oldest to newest order, and I move already used ones to another folder, so it’s just the top story.”

Deceit blinked, eyebrows furrowing. “What? What are you talking about?”

Logan felt numb, eyes widening a bit. They read every single story on that laptop. They knew how dark Remus’s mind got.

“You did what happened in the story to him?”

Virgil nodded. “Yeah. And you know what he read about you. Too bad we had to pretend it was me in the story, but wasn’t going to get you to fu-”

“Shut up, before I shut you up.” Logan growled, and Virgil looked surprised, before he gave weak laughter.

“Copying me? You never were the creative one.”

Logan’s head tilted upward, and they forced themself to remain emotionless-looking. They wouldn’t give Virgil any more satisfaction.

“Was that just for food? Or also baths, water…”

“Heh. Water comes with food. Baths I give him whenever I feel nice, so doesn’t matter much does it?” Virgil stretched a bit. “I’ll be taking him back later, anyways, so that’s really all you need to know.”

“No. You won’t.” Deceit glared. “I let you take him from me before. I won’t let it happen again.”

Virgil frowned deeply and stared at them.

“Go on Logan. I know what the next story is. You better get to it.”

Logan twitched and turned quickly, walking out the room.

They dragged Deceit with them, slamming the door shut behind them.

After a few long moments of silence, Logan leaned into Deceit and made Virgil’s door disappear.

“Is that a good idea?” Deceit asked, holding Logan close. 

Logan shuddered. “I hope so.”

After a few more tense, quiet moments, the two trudged back to Deceit’s room.

Logan had a job to do, even if they didn’t want to.

Remus needed to be taken care of.


	7. Eat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: Abusive/Unsympathetic Virgil mentions, mentioned force feeding, cliffhanger.

Roman was holding his brother close, rocking him gently. His heart hurt horribly as Remus tried to silently whimper and whine.

“It’s okay, Remus. You’re safe.” Roman sighed softly. “Please, speak…”

Remus gave a shuddery noise. “C-Can I…?”

Roman jolted a bit and nodded quickly. “You can, you very much can.” 

Remus shivered violently and nuzzled Roman. “When is Virgil coming back…”

“Never.” Roman quickly said, before frowning deeply when Remus started to cry.

“No, no I need him… He’s helping me be good, Roman… I need…”

Roman swallowed hard, pressing his face in Remus’s hair. “No no, you _are_ good, honest.”

“You know I hurt you… You know I’m bad, more than anyone…”

Roman shook his head, sighing softly. “I know sometimes I haven’t been the most… Nice brother I could be, but… You’re good. You are. And Virgil isn’t doing anything but trying to ruin you and make you his…”

Remus shook his head, but hid against Roman anyways.

Roman looked up when Logan and Deceit came into the room, as Remus immediately hid against his brother, shaking his head.

“No no no, I’ll hurt them-!” He whisper yelled against Roman. 

Deceit lit up. “Remus is talking??”

“I told him to speak.” Roman said quietly, playing with Remus’s hair and wincing when Remus’s stomach growled.

“Did you find out how to get him to eat?” Roman asked, touching Remus’s stomach.

Logan regarded them with an emotionless expression, before moving to grab the laptop and open it.

Remus twitched, starting to shake a bit, as Deceit moved to touch Roman’s hand.

“We should… move away.” He whispered. “This… will be easy.” He lied, swallowing. Trying to lie to not only Roman, but himself.

“What- what does Logan have to do?” Roman asked, as Deceit started to pull him from Remus.

Remus whimpered and tried to keep a hold of Roman, who was also struggling.

“I have to use one of Remus’s stories against him.” Logan spoke, voice numb.

Roman shook his head. “What does that mean?”

“Okay, we- we have to find another way. Please, Logan.” Deceit begged softly.

Logan opened up the top document, eyes scanning it, before they shut the laptop quickly. “I- I can’t do it.”

“What was it?” Deceit asked quietly.

“… Garbage disposal.”

Roman flinched violently, Remus trembling more.

“What do we do?” Deceit whispered.

“Please Remus, please eat. We can’t hurt you.” Logan tried begging, voice wavering.

Deceit watched Remus shake his head, before shaking his own and moving to get Remus food anyways.

Remus watched as Deceit got a small bowl of soup and took it to Remus, sitting down with him.

“D-Deceit, I can’t… I have to learn self control, I have to learn how to be good…”

Deceit inhaled slowly and exhaled, before shutting his eyes. “… Roman, please open his mouth.”

Remus’s eyes widened, and he whimpered, trying to shake his head.

Roman looked extremely guilty, looking between them. “I- I can’t-”

“Roman, look how skinny he is.”

Roman looked at Remus, before looking at Deceit. “It- It’s not dangerously skinny…”

“Yet.” Deceit added, staring at Roman.

Roman swallowed, before looking at Remus. “Please just eat, you’ll never get in trouble, I promise.” 

Logan spoke up finally. “Your training is complete, and everyone knows you’re good now. There’s no need to follow the training rules.”

Remus blinked in surprise, cheeks heating up a little. “I’m good now…?” He asked, eyebrows furrowing.

“Yes. Can you eat now?” Deceit asked, voice soft as he held out a spoonful of soup.

Remus glanced away, watching the floor, before he carefully opened his mouth.

When Deceit gave him a bite, Remus looked terrified.

After a long moment of Remus watching the three and noticing he wasn’t going to be hurt, he opened his mouth again.

Deceit, Roman, and Logan relaxed as Remus was fed, making sure he finished the whole bowl of soup.

“That’s good…” Roman held Remus close, watching him struggle to stay awake once he was finished eating.

Deceit had smartly not made too much, to make sure Remus didn’t puke.

Logan watched Remus fall asleep against Deceit, before feeling a tug. They looked up at the ceiling, watching Roman and Deceit look up too.

“Thomas needs help.” Logan said numbly.

“We’re going to see Virgil and Patton.” Roman added, eyes shutting.

Deceit sighed. “I doubt he needs me too much, I’ll stay with Remus. He won’t call us both.”

Deceit moved to pull Remus into the bed, holding him close as Logan and Roman started to sink out.

“We can do this.” Roman told them.

Logan nodded. “Okay.”

Roman saw red when he saw Virgil in his original spot, hands clenching into fists.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short but I'll be trying to write more and more chapters :)


	8. Arguments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God they argue so much in this chapter, sorry for the delay btw

Thomas felt the tension when everyone was up, looking around at his four core sides.

“Uh… guys, you doing okay…?” He asked, voice on edge.

“I will not be in the same room as _him_.” Roman seethed, pointing at Virgil.

“I agree. He was locked in his room for a reason.” Logan spoke darkly, voice holding an edge.

Virgil’s eyes averted, like they were bullying him, like-

“Uh- woah, locked in his room? What the heck happened- Virgil?” Thomas asked, eyes wide.

“I helped Remus.” Virgil sighed, flinching back when Roman whipped out his sword.

“Woah woah Princey-” Thomas held a hand up toward Roman, who looked pissed. 

“No, Thomas! I will not have you listening to Virgil over Logan and me again!”

Thomas looked lost for a moment, before looking at Patton for help.

“Well Kiddo, I think everyone’s been in a real… tizzy recently.” Patton tried delicately, before Logan scoffed.

“Patton neither. You always listen to Virgil and Patton. Well, Virgil is a sick bastard and Patton is too blind to see it.”

Patton gave an offended noise. “Virgil wouldn’t hurt Remus!”

Virgil pointed at Patton. “Hey, I was helping him after-”

Logan turned quickly to Virgil. “You cut that shit out.”

“Language, Logan!” Patton.

“Yeah Logan, wouldn’t want to cause more problems.” Virgil, hissed.

“What is _that_ supposed to mean?” Logan, growled.

“Guys please-” Thomas, distressed.

“ENOUGH!” Roman finally yelled, slamming his foot into the floor. “All of you, quit!”

Thomas exhaled harshly. “I- maybe I should just call Deceit. He could tell me who’s lying.”

“Like you could tell if _he_ was lying.” Virgil grumbled, an eye roll.

“Now- I think I’ve figured him out mostly. He really doesn’t lie all the time.” Thomas said, speaking _so fucking sweetly to Virgil it made Roman and Logan sick._

“Fine. He knows the truth anyways, he was there with me when we confronted Virgil.” Logan crossed his arms.

“When you locked me up for no good reason?” Virgil asked, tilting his head with a subdued angry look.

“No good reason-” Logan started, before Thomas gave a loud noise.

“Okay, I’m summoning Deceit!”

Roman grumbled something relieved, before his eyes widened when Deceit appeared next to Logan.

Scratches ran down the side of his face, and he looked disheveled.

“Deceit-!” Thomas cried in surprise and worry, beckoning Deceit closer.

Deceit didn’t fight back as he hugged onto Thomas immediately, relishing in being held close.

“What happened???”

Deceit hesitated largely. “ **It definitely wasn’t Remus-** ”

“Remus?”

Deceit glared behind him when Virgil cut him off, growling when the purple side feigned concern.

“Remus… hurt you?”

Deceit snapped to look at Thomas, eyes widened.

“ **I- He was in his right mind- Virgil didn’t hurt him-** ”

“Deceit…” Thomas said, worried, definitely…

… and definitely resigned to whatever assumption he made about Remus, a second time.

“I- Remus- he couldn’t have had malicious intent.” Roman tried, but was shut down.

“I’ve seen Remus, remember when he hurt you?” 

Roman opened and closed his mouth. “But Thomas-”

“Roman is right.” Logan tried, but they were shut down too, like always.

“But he hurt you too, remember? Just because you’re strong enough to heal it…”

Logan met gazes with Roman, before their fists balled up. “Thomas, I implore you to listen.”

“Look Thomas.” 

God, fucking Virgil was taking over the conversation.

Roman glared at the anxious side, face reddening a bit with anger.

“I think maybe we should think about what to do with Remus. Maybe if we put him in the subconscious for a while, while we think, everyone will be safe.”

Deceit stared at Virgil with wide eyes. “No. Thomas, he didn’t mean to do this!”

Thomas looked at everyone, before covering his ears when the arguing started up again.

“PATTON!” Thomas cried finally, pointing at Patton.

“What-” Patton asked, surprised, but thankful it was quiet.

“You’re morality, you choose what happens with Remus.”

Patton’s eyes widened, and he looked around at everyone.

“I…” He took a deep breath, and instead of what he should have said- ‘I don’t know’, he decided on, well…

“Maybe he should stay in his room for a while. Alone where he can neither get hurt or hurt others.”

“That- That’s a horrible plan.” Deceit said, voice horrified and eyes wide. “I-”

“It won’t be for very long!” Patton quickly added.

“Patton, any amount of time is too long.” Logan glared, as Virgil scoffed.

“But you can do that to me just fine.”

“Well, you’re the psychopath.”

Roman groaned as the arguing started up once again, before yelling at the top of his lungs, “BE QUIET!”

When it was silent again, Thomas was the first to speak up.

“Roman, letting him run free is getting people hurt…”

“I don’t care. If he hurt me, or Deceit, or Logan, or Patton, there’s a very good chance it’s not because he’s being malicious.”

“But he can hurt Virgil just fine?” Patton asked.

Roman growled. “Yes. He can. Now, I’m going to go see my brother and tend to Deceit’s face. Logan, are you coming?”

Logan quickly nodded, and they both sank out.

Deceit stayed for a couple more seconds, nuzzling Thomas’s chest slightly. “Remus isn’t bad.” He tried once more, before sinking out.

Patton followed a moment after, looking forlorn.

Virgil watched them go, before looking at Thomas. “Just say the word.”

“What?”

“One you think Remus should be dealt with, I’ll help you.”

Thomas looked around, before rubbing his forehead.

“There was so much fighting… Deceit’s face…”

Virgil took his hoodie off to show bruises all over his torso.

“Oh god-” Thomas’s eyes were wide.

“Yeah, I was helping him and he just attacked me randomly. Really recently too, and then everyone took him from me, and now Deceit…”

Thomas whimpered, before exhaling shakily. “Please help, Virge…”

Virgil hid his smirk well.

“Whatever you say, Thomas. I’ll help you.”


	9. Foreshadowing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plotting murder and Roman is saying some violent things in this chap

“I want to impale him on my sword and throw him into the dragon witch’s den!” Roman cried as soon as they were in front of Deceit’s door.

“Virgil is a problem.” Logan agreed. “But as sides, object impermanence-”

“I don’t care, it’ll hurt!”

Logan blinked, before glancing away. They heaved a sigh of relief when Deceit appeared a few moments later.

“Let’s get your face cleaned up, alright? What happened?” Logan asked, gently touching the side of Deceit’s face that wasn’t injured. They pretended not to notice when Deceit leaned his face into Logan’s hand and very lightly nuzzled it.

“Remus had a nightmare and lashed out in his sleep. Scratched up my face.” Deceit sighed softly. “He- god, we left him alone…”

Logan’s eyes widened a bit, and Roman quickly rushed into Deceit’s room.

“Remus?” 

Remus gave a little scared noise, sobbing as he scuttled behind the bed.

Roman felt like he was having flashbacks.

“Remus, please come out.”

“I’m a monster!”

Roman hesitated largely, before slowly sitting on the floor. “Remus, you are not a monster. You lashed out in your _sleep_. How is that you being a monster?”

Remus was silent, before his body shifted. “Virgil was right. I hurt _everyone_.”

Roman quickly shook his head. “Remus, Virgil was wrong. All of it, he was **wrong**.” Roman exhaled and moved closer.

“You know me. If you were a monster, would I be trying to help you now?”

Remus peaked out and gave a tiny whimper. “Roman, you’re wrong. Virgil was right.”

He cut Roman off before Roman could argue.

“I deserved it.” He said softly. “I did. And you can’t argue with me.”

Logan pulled Deceit into the room before Roman could argue, _again_.

“Deceit is alright now. Remus? Are you okay?” Logan asked, frowning deeply.

Remus looked away. “I-”

Remus was cut off.

Deceit realized what was going on before anyone else did.

“Thomas-”

Deceit cursed when Remus disappeared, eyes wide. “Thomas summoned him? What- what happened?!”

“Oh god, he’s probably listening to Virgil-” Roman quickly stood. “I’ll impale him! I’ll string him up and let monsters eat him!”

Logan didn’t comment on how Remus that sounded.

“He believes Virgil, and he’s scared of Remus. We need to go back to Thomas.”

“I’ve already tried.” Deceit said numbly, looking up at the ceiling. “Virgil’s blocking us.”

Logan gave a humorless chuckle. “He can’t block me.”

Deceit watched Logan leave, before looking at Roman.

“… Do you think this will ever end?”

Roman blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… Virgil will continue to want Remus, continue to be a problem.”

Roman flinched. “So what do we do?”

Deceit watched the floor. “The subconscious.”

“… you mean…”

“Virgil wanted to put Remus there. Why don’t we put him?”

“Permanently?” 

Deceit hesitated, before nodding softly. “Perhaps…”

“Do you think he could escape?”

Deceit swallowed. “Not if we trap him, right?”

“Do you think we even could? The only one given more power than him is Patton, right? And we both know dad’s feelings on the matter.” Roman rolled his eyes.

“Then what do you suggest?”

Roman watched the floor. “Us three kill him.”

Deceit’s eyes widened. “Kill him?”

“A new Anxiety would take his place, and perhaps not one that is so…” Roman swallowed. “I know that situations probably turned Virgil into the monster he is. So shouldn’t starting fresh-?”

“How do you know a new Anxiety would take his place, hmm?” Deceit asked flatly.

“… I’ll make him. Couldn’t I try?” Roman swallowed. “I can’t while Virgil is alive, but…”

“What if you’re _wrong_ , Roman? We’ve seen what Thomas without an anxiety looks like. We’d be dead within a week.”

Roman looked up at Deceit, before swallowing. “Trust me?”

Deceit stared at Roman for a long, long moment. “… I don’t know if I can.”

Roman looked away, biting the insides of his cheeks. He quickly stood up. “That’s fine. No one ever does.”

Deceit’s eyes widened, and he moved to try following Roman as the prince started to leave. “Wait, Ro-”

“I’m going to make sure Virgil doesn’t get my brother again.”

Deceit cursed, before looking around the room. He took a shaky breath and took off his gloves, hands trembling violently.

He lost good standing with Roman, Remus was hurt, Remus was going to be stolen by Virgil…

“Hey, steady.”

Deceit tried to breathe, hands gripping his bed as he stumbled a little toward it.

A panic attack. This was a panic attack.

“In for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. We don’t want you passing out.”


	10. Panic Attacks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a doozy

Logan huffed when they appeared, noticing Remus tremble slightly, Virgil eye him, Thomas tiredly rub his eyes.

“Thomas, what are you doing?” Logan asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

Thomas jumped, and Virgil scowled a bit.

“What are you doing here, Logan?”

Thomas didn’t say anything about Virgil’s hostile words, just shakily breathing.

Logan frowned deeply. “Thomas, are you alright?”

“Hey.” Virgil snapped in Logan’s face, causing the logical side to glare. “I asked you something.”

“I asked Thomas something **first**.”

Thomas rubbed his face. “L-Logan...”

Logan’s expression softened a bit. “What are you doing to Thomas?”

“I’m not doing anything. He’s _afraid_.” Virgil smirked at Logan when Thomas looked away. “Remus is terrifying.”

“I-I...” Thomas looked ready to cry, covering his face.

Remus looked at Thomas with wide eyes, before looking at Virgil.

“You’re hurting him...”

Logan gave a shaky exhale, feeling panicked too. Oh, Remus was right.

Remus balled his fists a bit, before lunching at Virgil.

“Sit!” Virgil quickly yelled, causing Remus to stumble and quickly move to sit.

Thomas’s eyes widened as he saw Remus’s reaction, before he was panicking.

“No no!” Logan cried, as the panic attack affected him too.

Virgil smirked, before moving over to Remus. “What are you doing?”

“... You’re hurting Tommy... How could you, I-I-”

“I wasn’t hurting Thomas. You were. He got a panic attack because of you.”

Remus dipped his head upward, before flinching as Virgil smacked him across the face.

“V-Virgil-” Thomas gasped, as Logan struggled to help.

Remus looked around, before shaking his head.

“No, that’s you.”

Virgil’s expression went blank, before he moved and grabbed Remus by his collar. “Fine. It was me. It’s your fault I hurt them, though.”

“How?!”

Virgil sighed and smiled. “You didn’t love me.”

Remus looked like his breath was stolen immediately.

“... what?”

“I called you a monster because you broke my heart.” Virgil sighed. “And you’ve hurt the others anyways. I don’t know why you never wanted to just be with me. I can handle you.”

“You called me an illness... Logan can-”

Virgil huffed. “Remus. Do you ever understand what’s going on?”

Remus stared up at Virgil, before whimpering when Virgil gave him a kiss.

His air was stolen again, he couldn’t breathe-

“You were a monster to everyone, and I helped that. I wanted everyone to call you a monster. I wanted everyone to think you were a monster because I want you to myself. But you and your stupid, beautiful... You made them like you. I made Deceit break up with you. I made Deceit give you to me.”

Remus stared with wide eyes, trembling violently.

Virgil looked over at Logan, who was weakly trying to shuffle toward them, struggling to breathe.

Virgil grabbed onto Remus tightly, sinking out with him.

Remus struggled, arms flailing weakly as he tried to grab onto _something_.

Virgil smacked him upside the head, and Remus weakly gasped.

“I thought if I just kept everyone from you, it’d be okay. But it wasn’t enough. It’s not enough, not after you stupidly started dating _Logan_. How could you do that to me?”

“D-Didn’t- Do-” Remus tried to breathe. “Anyth-”

Virgil growled. “Shut up. You don’t get to pretend-”

He was cut off by a wet noise.

Virgil looked over to see Roman behind him, holding his sword forward.

“Did- Did you just impale me?”

Virgil stared incredulously at Roman, who was struggling to breathe too.

Roman whimpered shallowly.

“All of you are so. Fucking. Dumb.”

“L-Leave alone-” Remus gasped, trying desperately to save Roman.

“That’s what you want?” Virgil asked, regarding Remus with some amusement.

“I’ll- Anythin- Do any-”

Virgil’s eyes lit up a bit. “You will?”

Remus nodded quickly.

“Well... I can think of something.”

Roman groaned, trying to push himself up. His body felt heavy, heavy- Virgil was weighing him down.

“No! R-Rem-” Roman tried.

Remus looked over at Roman.

“Now Roman, don’t worry. If Remus is good, I won’t hurt him, or you.” Virgil smiled, before moving to kiss Remus again.

Remus shakily kissed back, gasping and breathing when their lips touched. He could breathe...

Roman gave little gasps, tears spilling down his cheeks. “I’LL KILL YOU!” He screamed, forcing himself to get up again.

Virgil snorted in amusement. “Come on Remus. Let’s go to my old room.”

Roman sobbed as he watched Roman and Virgil leave, before collapsing on the floor.

He didn’t look up when he heard footsteps.

He was busy plotting brutal murder.


	11. Murder Plot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added two more characters lol

Deceit looked up, flinching back in surprise at the person in front of him.

“V-Vir-”

“Don’t call me that. I’m not Virgil.”

Anxiety huffed, stepping over and almost touching Deceit’s hand. “Are you calmer now?”

“How are you here?”

Anxiety shrugged. “Technically? I’m not. I’m a figment of Roman’s imagination, come to tell you that he’s trustworthy.” He played with his hair a bit. “I’m not real, and I can’t do anything but talk to you really.”

Deceit stared at him, before swallowing. “You’re a figment.”

“Mhm. I said that already.”

Deceit exhaled. “Well… Is Roman okay?”

“Nah.” Anxiety played with his own shirt. “Nothing’s going right. I-” He went rigid, eyes widening. “Mm- Roman is having a panic attack-”

“What does that mean for you-?” Deceit asked, obviously too panicked, frazzled, too everything to even try and be calm and collected right now.

Anxiety exhaled shakily. “I’ll probably disappear soon.” 

Deceit nodded, laying down on his bed and trying to calm down.

“… What are you going to do now?”

“Hmm?”

Anxiety sat down on Deceit’s bed, kicking his leg out as he stared. “Well, you can’t stay here, right?”

Deceit sat up and rubbed the non-hurt part of his face. “I know. But I can’t do anything right now. Everyone is up with Thomas, and…”

He tried to rise up again, only to be blocked once more.

“So you’re giving up?”

“No, I’m biding my time and resting for the climax.”

Anxiety snorted, grinning slightly. “What do you think the climax will be?”

“Well, looking at you… The murder of Virgil, I assume.”

Anxiety nodded slowly. “Right. I hope that works out for you.”

Deceit nodded. “Yeah, me too.” 

Deceit flinched when Anxiety started to flicker in and out of sight.

“Anxiety?”

“Mm- Roman-”

Deceit quickly stood and rushed out the room, as Anxiety’s expression turned a little sour.

He grit his teeth, eyes narrowed, before disappearing.

Remy Sanders wasn’t really a part of Thomas. He wasn’t a ‘side’, but he was connected to the other.

So naturally he popped in and out of the sides’s place of living every now and again.

He really hadn’t expected to find Roman on the floor.

Remy took a sip of his drink before putting it down and kneeling beside Roman. “Hey babes, you okay?”

Roman blinked blearily at Remy, before slowly getting up a bit. “N-No…” He murmured. 

Remy pushed his sunglasses up and narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking. He helped Roman to his feet. “What happened?”

“Virgil is a massive dick, and Remus… He took Remus and…” Roman wiped the tears off of his face and exhaled shakily.

Remy nodded a bit. “I could have told you that. All Anxiety’s are.”

Roman decided not to comment. 

“Alright babes. I’m going to help you.” Remy picked up his drink and sipped at it. “Where did Virgil go?”

“Uh… He said his old room. I don’t know where that is.”

Remy’s eyes flashed with recognition, and he quickly put his sunglasses on fully.

“… fine.”

He looked over when he heard running, before gesturing with his cup. “Deceit, gurl!”

Deceit exhaled shakily and quickly looked Roman over when he caught up to them, before giving little heaves.

“What happened?” The snake side finally asked, and Roman relayed it again, quickly.

Deceit chewed his lip, before freezing. “Virgil-”

“I think we’re going to have to kill him.” Roman said, looking over at Deceit and narrowing his eyes. “Do you trust me yet?”

Deceit frowned and looked away, before Roman’s expression softened.

“I’m sorry, I just… I know I can do this.”

“I know. I believe in you. I’m sorry, I didn’t even mean it when I said it.” Deceit said, before looking up. 

“We should go and check on Thomas, hopefully grab Logan and Patton for help.” Deceit said, before Roman rolled his eyes.

“Remy’s a better help than Patton.”

“We have to at least tell him.” Deceit hissed. “I never liked him, fine, and this wasn’t a good look on him. But he still has to know Virgil won’t be among us.”

Roman glared at the floor, before looking up at Remy.

Remy sipped his tea loudly, before putting it down to his hip.

“Alright. Everyone go up to Thomas. I’ll put him to sleep while you tell Patton that Virgil’s dying. Then I’ll help you get rid of Virgil.”

Deceit nodded, before they all started to rise up.

“Woah- don’t like this. This is why I’m not a side.” 

Remy held his cup close and looked ready to vomit when he rose up, sitting on the couch.

Logan, trembling still, was holding onto Thomas. They were both trying to calm down.

Deceit moved to Logan and touched his hand. “Hey, Logan, follow my breathing okay?”

Remy set his drink down and slid over closer to Thomas, pulling him close and gently playing with his hair.

“Nap time, Thomas.”

Thomas didn’t fight him, just letting himself fall asleep.

Roman stared, before sighing and summoning Patton.

“I’m going to assert again that I don’t like this.”

“Wh-What’s going on?” Patton asked, eyes wide. 

“We’re killing Virgil.” Roman said bluntly, eyes narrowed.

Patton immediately went pale. “But… But…”

“ **There isn’t already an Anxiety ready to take his place.** ” Deceit spoke up, noticing Remy’s look at that.

“He took Remus again, Patton. I will not let this happen… Anymore…” Roman swallowed, before rubbing his face. “We could use your help. But if you don’t want to help, then at least stay out of our way.”

“Morally speaking babes, it’d be better if you helped.” Remy said, laying Thomas down when the other fell asleep.

Patton stared at everyone, before exhaling.

Logan rubbed their face. “We have to do this now. Are you in or out?”

Patton chewed his lip.

“Ugh, wha-” Roman started, before Patton cut him off.

“Okay. I’m in.” Patton exhaled harshly through his nose. “Let’s get rid of Virgil.”


	12. You Gotta Die Sometime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abusive Virgil, knives, blood, creepiness, etc

Remus was being hand fed.

It was weird, really, that Virgil liked Remus eating off of his hands, and he knew it.

“You look beautiful with the bruises around your eyes.” Virgil murmured a bit, touching Remus’s eyes. “I’m happy that I get to do them from now on.”

Remus used his tongue to scoop up the small piece of chicken Virgil held out to him, trying to get over how humiliating this was.

“Do you like it more when I don’t hurt you for no reason?” Virgil asked. “I thought this would be boring, but it’s almost nice just treating you like...”

“Your toy?” Remus asked, and Virgil’s happy expression immediately fell.

“Excuse me?”

“Am I?”

Virgil’s expression seemed to soften a little, but he was still upset. “Idiot. No. Not now. Just mine. I love you, remember.”

Remus didn’t roll his eyes, but he wanted to.

He felt stupid for never seeing it, stupid for letting Virgil get this far, stupid for not questioning why Deceit, who loved him, broke up with him.

Stupid, so god damn stupid...

Virgil took his clean hand and scratched Remus’s scalp _gently_ , before moving down to press their foreheads together. 

“You know... I’m amazed you’re being such a good boy.”

Remus really, really didn’t want to be. But he forced himself to remember that his brother, his lovers, Tommy and Patton needed this.

God but he couldn’t help the knee-jerk reaction of slapping Virgil’s hand away when it touched directly under his chest.

Virgil’s eyes flashed in anger. 

“I guess it was too good to be true.”

Remus yelped when Virgil knocked him over, curling up into a ball.

“... it’s okay. It’s to be expected.” Virgil sighed. “You still have to be punished though. 

Remus stared up at Virgil, before glancing away and taking a shuddery breath.

Remy was on edge and shuddering too, actually.

The sleepy non-side was trying to wrap his head around what everyone was even planning now- a murder, he assumed.

Logan was giving technical details on how to murder a side- separating him from Thomas was the first thing. Virgil had already separated himself before, but they had to figure out how to do it themselves.

“Thomas _should_ stay asleep, but there’s a chance he’ll wake up.” Remy hummed, looking up at Logan.

“Patton, could you stay with Thomas to make sure he doesn’t get hurt while we get rid of Virgil?” Logan had asked immediately, voice somehow level.

Patton had given a long exhale and nodded. “Alright, Logan.”

“Roman, Deceit, Remy and I can take Virgil.” Logan hummed. “We all know Virgil is... strong.”

“This will be good for Thomas.” Deceit suddenly said. “Perhaps doing this will stop Thomas’s anxiety from going overboard, keep in the middle of the Yerkes–Dodson curve.”

Logan gave an appreciative smile.

“Of course!” Roman preened immediately. “I will work hard to create an Anxiety that will be healthier for Thomas and all of us!”

“But you’ve already created him.” Remy spoke blandly.

“Oh, right. Well, he’s better than Virgil, right?” Roman asked.

Remy opened his mouth to speak, before he was cut off.

“Anything is better than Virgil at this point.”

Logan had cut Remy off, and Remy went quiet.

“Deceit, do you know how we can disconnect Virgil?” Roman asked.

Deceit hesitated. “Yes, but I can’t do it. In fact, it takes at least three sides.”

Roman gave a tight, huffed laugh. “You, me, Logan.”

Patton stared at them. “I’ll go up to Thomas.”

Remy waved a bit, before tilting his head sideways. “Is this going to make you guys tired?” He hummed. “Am I going to be the one killing Virgil?”

Roman blinked and hesitated, glancing at Deceit.

“I... don’t know,” Deceit said slowly. “I’ve never done this before, obviously.”

“Is it dangerous for _us_ to do it?” Roman asked finally. “Perhaps we should awaken Thomas and get him to-”

“No.” Logan immediately said. “Thomas doesn’t need us to harm him any further, and if he can stay asleep the entire time, that would be... beneficial.”

They stood in awkward silence.

“You know...” Roman finally said. “I never liked Virgil.”

Deceit blinked softly. “We kicked him out of the dark sides.”

“Really?” Roman hesitated. “I thought he wanted to pretend to be good.”

“I think he did.” Logan played with his sleeve. 

Remy watched the three, before turning away. “Alright. Go ahead, disconnect Virgil.”

“Right.” Deceit nodded, before taking Logan and Roman with him somewhere else, somewhere Remy didn’t go.

Remy stayed back, even when Patton disappeared.

Alone, Remy finally broke down a bit and let his entire body shudder. “God, I hate anxiety.”

Virgil was gently playing with Remus’s hair when the disconnect happened.

Virgil’s breathing stopped, fingers pausing.

Remus slowly lifted his head,giving thin breaths as he stared up at Virgil. “... you’re... not...”

“Don’t say it.” Virgil hissed, standing and letting Remus slide off his lap.

Remus stared, before smiling a bit. “How long until your blood is spilled?”

Virgil quickly smacked Remus in the mouth. “God, shut up.”

“Do you think you made a mistake?”

Virgil stared at Remus, before crossing his arms. He hesitated for a long moment.

“... You gotta die sometime.”

Remus’s eyes widened, before he blinked. “Wh-What... You did all of this and you don’t even care that you’re going to die?”

“Why should I?” Virgil sat down next to Remus, leaning on his arm.

“You know, I think you’re a little right. I can’t die like this. I have to make sure no one else can love you, even when I’m gone.”

Remus searched Virgil’s expression, before grunting when Virgil pinned him to the floor.

Virgil stared down at Remus, before forcing a kiss on the other. “You need to have my name signed right into your body.”

Remus gave little gasps for air, swallowing hard. “Why not just kill me too, bring me with you?”

Virgil shook his head. “You’re stronger than a figment and I’m only one side. I couldn’t disconnect you like they did me.”

Remus watched Virgil carefully, before exhaling shakily.

“You don’t love me.”

Virgil paused, before taking out his knife. “I don’t know, I feel like I do.”

“You’ve lied to me more than Deceit has ever lied to any one person.”

Virgil frowned deeply. “Are you asking me to do worse?”

“Fine. Do whatever you want, but everyone knows you’re _pathetic_.” Remus spit at Virgil, before screeching when Virgil drove the knife into his shoulder.

“I told you I loved you.”

“You never acted like it.” Remus whispered hoarsely. “You degraded me, hurt me, used me, and now you don’t even care you’ll die. How is that fair? You’re fine with me staying here, healing, because this was never about me.”

Virgil’s eyes averted.

“You just... You just wanted attention...”

Virgil gave a humorless exhale. “... so what if I did?”

Remus swallowed back bile. “But why me? Why did you choose me to hurt?”

“It’s not just attention.” Virgil gently caressed Remus’s cheek. “I have a lot of excess... Violence. And you could take it. That’s why I fell in love with you. I could leave my violence with you.”

Remus stared up at Virgil, eyes narrowing. “Love requires a commitment to meet the challenge of dealing with another person.” He spoke, low and threatening. “You never loved me. I doubt you’re even capable of love.”

“And you are?”

Remus looked away.

Virgil smiled. “Look who’s pathetic now.”

Remus hissed as Virgil started to etch his name into Remus’s skin with the knife, over and over.

“You’ll never forget me.” Virgil chuckled. “And I hope you feel my hands on you until the day Thomas dies.”

Remus blinked away tears, as Virgil touched along his body, used the knife to cut in more letters.

Remus blearily blinked up at Virgil when the other finally got off him.

“You’re a mess.”

Virgil glanced over at the door when he heard it opening.

“Do you think we’ll see each other in another life?” He asked.

Remus nodded. “We will. And I promise I’ll kill you before you hurt me.”

Virgil smiled. “You can try.”

But before Roman could drive his sword into Virgil, before Remy and Deceit could rush to Remus, before Logan could deliver any sort of finishing blow to Patton, they felt cold.

Thomas was hurt.

Virgil’s smile grew wide. “I’m gonna live to see another day.”


End file.
